Kurt Warner's Arena Football Unleashed

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NFL Blitz transforms into a rocking, physical slam-fest, with no rules whatsoever. New screenshots!

By IGN Staff

After its fantastic success with NFL Blitz, Midway for the longest time wanted to increase the violence and humorous post-play goofiness that makes NFL Blitz to unique. Unfortunately, the NFL pretty much drew the line with NFL Blitz. So Midway decided to go one step farther -- with "Arena Football."

Temporarily titled Arena Football, Midway's new football-like game is based on the official Arena league, which has been around for ages, but attracts a certain kind of fan. Let's just say it's a niche game with a lot of potential, like rollerball. Midway is betting that fans of football who like Blitz will get into this wanton, exciting, and very violent sport. To be honest, it sounds like a lot of fun to us!

Arena Football is played generally like American football. In Midway's version of the game, teams have to move the ball 20 yards for a first down, and there is no limit to violence. The only limit is the amount of animations Midways packs into the game. There are six players per team (though in the real league there are eight). The field size is the same as a hockey rink or indoor football league, and there are no out of bounds. The field is only 50 yards long, but is 85 feet wide, with eight-yard end zones. The end zones are complete with field goal nets and the walls are placed just outside the sidelines. Players can slam other players against the walls, which, unfortunately for those who get slammed against them, are only about waist high. Just use your imagination as to how much the slams might cause pain. Ah yes, can you see it now?

Like we said, the ball never really goes out of bounds, which causes a different kind of dynamic than normal football. Any balls that bounce off the nets or goal posts from kickoffs or failed field goals are live and playable. They can be picked up by anyone. The one exception is when a team drop-kicks for an extra point.

For the PlayStation, the game uses a modified, enhanced version of the Blitz engine. Arena Football has at least two modes, Arcade and Tournament mode, which comprises single, double, or two of three elimination options. The game also has a Season mode, and just like Blitz, Arena has with complete AFL season and playoffs, with stats, rankings, and team comparisons. The real league is comprised of 16 teams:

American Conference, Western Division

Arizona Rattlers

Los Angeles Avengers

Portland Forest Dragons

San Jose Sabercats

Central Division

Grand Rapids Rampage

Houston Thunderbears

Iowa Barnstormers

Milwaukee Mustangs

National Conference, Southern Division

Flordia Bobcats

Nashville Kats

Orlando Predators

Tampa Bay Storm

Eastern Division

Albany Firebirds (1999 Arena league Champion)

Buffalo Destroyers

New England Sea Wolves

New Jersey Red Dogs

Just like Blitz, the same kind of hilarious one-liners and classic animations are sure to be seen Arena Football. Players who perform extremely well will catch on fire, and those who get too injured will have to be taken out of the game. And when Midway promises some seriously spectacular hits, you've got to believe it. It's going to be wild. Lastly, players will have all of the flexibility and depth of Blitz. The game contains a Custom Play Editor, complete with playbooks and audibles. And of course, just like Blitz 2000, players can go for four-player havoc, playing two to a team.

Due in June 2000, Arena Football should be analog and dual shock compatible and is coming out on PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Dreamcast.